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110 | BIODIVERSITY PROTECTION / GENERATION BLUE

TEAM MALIZIA

A RACE AGAINST

THE CLOCK FOR

THE CLIMATE

At an event dedicated to youth, Boris Herrmann,
an ecologically minded skipper looked back at the
highlights of the Vendée Globe, a solo race coupled
with a scientific challenge.

In the afternoon of Wednesday 22 March, Unite behind the
a clearly eager public gathering, largely re- science
presented by fifty or so children from the
Monaco Yacht Club’s sailing school and Boris Herrmann then welcomed a guest of
Monegasque schools awaited expec- honour, an invaluable support for this ad-
tantly in front of the Monaco Yacht Club. venture in his capacity as President of the
On his arrival, the finalist of the Vendée Monaco Yacht Club, HSH Prince Albert II
Globe 2020, Boris Herrmann, accompa- of Monaco. “The loop around Antarctica is
nied by his “Team Malizia” handed out to longer than the one around the equator”,
each child a postcard with a picture of the remarks the high-level sailor, as impressive
monohull IMOCA Sea Explorer – Monaco pictures are displayed on the projection
Yacht Club, personally signed by him. With screen. On the sail, among the partner lo-
the talisman in their pockets, the young gos, a slogan: “Unite behind the science”,
participants then took their seats in the whispered by Swedish activist Greta Thun-
conference room, their imagination already berg who, in August 2019, boarded the
on board the boat that braved the ocean boat in Monaco for New York, where the
for 80 days, sailing along the most dange- United Nations Climate Action Summit
rous maritime routes. At the helm, the solo was being held. A carbon neutral crossing
sailor: “What is the most difficult cape to for this figure in the fight against climate
sail across?”, he asks, retracing the adven- change.
ture of his first Vendée Globe, sporting the
colours of the Principality. In the room, little
hands are held up: Cape Horn. “What do
we call the part of the boat which enables
us to ‘fly’ over the water?” The young au-
dience is reactive and curious about all the
steps of preparation needed to compete in
such a race, from the choice of itinerary to
the boat’s equipment, not to mention how
to organise sleep and food.